The break between games is the only place you can influence the player on court, at least for those coaches following the rules!
So seeing as it is so important, it strikes me as odd that it is so badly used! Being honest how many players/coaches have a plan for and practice the break between games?
I’ve been present for some truly awful “coaching” between games (and too from me in the early days).
I’ve seen players stressed to breaking point being wound up further. I’ve seen players in a crisis of confidence told all the things they’re doing wrong. I once even used the break between games to figure out what we’d do for dinner after the match.
There is no one size fits all solution for this part of the game. There is no perfect thing to say that will suit all players and situations, though perhaps the dinner story makes a case for there being an always wrong approach.
The main thing is to understand your players needs at the time. I once recieved some excellent coaching between games that was mostly just being told I was useless and couldn’t beat this guy, it hurt my ego and sparked up a massive fightback.
Normally though you are better off staying positive. Stay calm and talk to their strengths, maybe include spmething that isn’t working but dont focus heavily.
The other key part is to keep it simple. One or two key points, nothing about technique. Focus on strategy and decisions. For example, mentioning that their opponent is tiring so no cheap points, or that they struggle with soft high balls etc. is all very helpful information. That they are over rotating on the drive, or not getting enough cut on the drops is not.
The final part is knowing when to step back. Don’t rush in at the end of the game, give them a few seconds to catch their breath and calm down. Also leave them alone to focus when preparing to go back on and do the real work.
That’s a quick overview of the break between games. If you want to improve on this then you have to practice, just like anything else.
